Come on over!

Hello my friends!

I wanted to make sure you still know how to find me!

I have moved...myCreative Blog, Gallery, Store and CTMH Website links are all in one place now!

You can now find me at homewithstudiok.com  

I have several posts there already and would LOVE to have you follow me via Bloglovin in my new home there!

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I also have a Travel Blog where I have been posting about my recent European Vacations and local ones for those of you that might be interested :)

Its a place I like to called Full of Shenanigans...

because that is really to the core just the kinda gal I am!!!

Thanks so much in your interest and I love making connections with everyone via the World Wide Web so make sure you drop me a line (comment) every once in a while too :)

New Post, new website!

Hello!

It may appear as though I have been hiding from here but the truth is that I have a new Website which includes a new Blog location!!!

Won't you join me over there? 

I have just posted a pretty layout using one of our favourite sketch sites...Let's Scrap!

http://www.homewithstudiok.com/apps/blog/

New Website & Blog location!!!

Hello my friends!

I have decided after several years with Blogger to create my own Website/Domain location...in the past I thought it might be way too costly or too difficult to do on my own but after playing around I decided to make the move!

My new website is homewithstudiok.com

and this is what it looks like:

While some of the pages are still under construction and I'm not 100% I wanted to try to start redirecting you there if possible!

Way back when I used to track all my favourite websites through Google...but a short time ago, GoogleReader was dissolved...I then discovered Bloglovin' and I have to say that it is awesome! 

If you haven't enbraced Bloglovin' yet, let me tell you that you absolutely should! 

I get this type of email everyday, although you can set it up to send you your post summary for different intervals...I find that I like an update on my favourite blogs everyday...I read them before bed :)

This is what a typical update from Bloglovin' would look like in my email Inbox ...

So of the blogs I am following on Bloglovin', when they update their blog with a new post, it gets added to my feed...on this day I only had 4 updated feeds on my favourite blogs...so this saves me time surfing around to see if my favourite blog have posted recently...it also keeps me updated easily without scrolling through my blog address book!

I would love to have you follow me at my new location..you can also join my site and register to receive my posts/feed straight to your email inbox! Just look on the left hand column and you can choose any of the options right there!

Thanks so much for being here today!

Hey there Foxy Ladies!

Oh Yeah...check out this awesome stamp of the month for February called 'Wild about Love'...I'm not sure if you're aware or not but these little fox images are showing up everywhere! 

Last year it was moustaches, lips and owls...for anyone that has a thing for owls-great (like me!!!) but for those of you that got creeped out by them (my gal pals Tina and Sandra!)...I'm sure you're glad the industry has moved onto another woodland creature :)

Here's some artwork compliments of CTMH...

Ok, so this stamp set is only available during the month of February...while supplies last...$5 with any minimum purchase of $50 or $17.95 if you just want the stamp set!

Check out this LINK if you want to follow along on a CTMH BlogHop featuring this stamp of the month...contact me to find out how to get this set for yourself!

Thanks for stoppin' in today!

  

How-to use multi-pocket sleeves in your Scrapbooking...

Hello! Today I want to show you how I've used some of my Multi-Pocket page protectors 'IN' my regular scrapbook albums...I started with the Becky Higgins page protectors but now that I've felt the difference between those and our new Close To My Heart multi-pocket page protectors...I have to say that the CTMH ones are AWESOME!!! so sturdy, they are exactly the same fabulous weight that our 12x12 page protectors are which is fantastic!

Last year's trip to Hawaii was perfect for 'multi-pocket' scrapbooking...I took so many photos but did not want to scrapbook all of them! There are several photos that I wanted to highlight in a layout and lots of other photos that have their place in the album but not in a double page or single page layout...so this is what I did with our visit to Pearl Harbour.

This is how the two pages look in the album (above) and here's some closer shots of the left and right pages...remember that these photos were taken in their page protectors so the quality isn't as good but you get the idea!

I used some of the Tommy papers which were perfect for this outing...I had some other cards from my Studio Calico Project Life kits as well...I like to mix up my products...I like the organic look when I mix up the manufacturers.

Now this is the next page...continuing on with the Tommy paper collection from CTMH, I used the complementary stamp set and embellishments to tie all these pages together...I like to embellish my 3x4 and 4x6 cards and I like to bring my layout papers into my multi-pocket scrapbook pages as well.

These next pages are also in my Hawaii vacation album...here's how the two pages look in the album:

On our first day we went to Walmart to buy a couple extra chairs (you have to pay for lounge chairs daily where we were staying!), a thermos bag (for keeping our contraband...aka. booze chilled) and some water toys/boards...I like to purchase stuff and then leave it for other vacationers when we leave!

The photos aren't always super pretty...like the one in the top right corner...but seeing as this was our last vacation before Jaime's dad passed away in June...I wanted to include all of the photos of his dad. You can see in the left page above that I've taken some of the papers and embellishments that I used in the single page layout and carried them into this multi-pocket layout, this is how you create a continual feel and look. The photos that I've included on the left page are not photos I would have scrapbooked all together in a layout, whether it be a single or double page as the events are from all over the first day...but in the multi-pocket page format it works!

These next two pages are at the very beginning of my album, after the title page (which you can see HERE if you'd like)...this is how it looks in the album:

The left single page layout was a great way to use up strips from a kit...also, I really wanted to create a layout with this photo...can you imagine a sandcastle sculpture in the middle of the hotel lobby!!! How cool was that!

The right multi-pocket page has a collection of photos of our hotel from the front and the back (beach view)...

I also had the one photo of Olivia enjoying the random rain showers while we were trying to enjoy the sunshine...I wanted to put some of the pictures of the Christmas decorations on this spread as well so that only left me with one spot to create a small journalling card which I embellished with leftover bits from the single layout...worked out well I think.

Organizing my album in an event/daily way from the start of our trip through to the end helps to create a cohesive/fluid album...which is more enjoyable to look through from my perspective!

All in all, using these fantastic multi-pocket pages in your albums makes recording your trips/events/year etc so much faster and easier...you can keep it simple or embellish as much as you'd like.

I hope you found this helpful, if you'd like any help with your project or have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me! If you'd like to see some of our various page protectors available please visit my website HERE or contact me for more information!

Happy Tuesday and thanks for stoppin' in!

 

Posted with Blogsy

Momma...don't let your babies grow up to be JPEGs...

Picture My Life...it's the new scrapbooking program that CTMH has just released to help everyone get their photos out of those shoe boxes and into albums! If you are someone who is collecting photos instead of putting them into albums so you can view them, then this is just what you need...and you didn't even know it!

Do you have a computer full of photo memories? When was the last time you actually printed photos? Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be JPEGs.....as much as digital photography has revolutionized our photo taking, photo editing and preservation of our special moments...it is also our downfall!

How many of us rush to the store to get our photos printed now? I venture to guess, a limited few...we might rush to upload them to our computers...but then what? Do they sit there for a week, a month, a year...longer? Lets be realistic...if we don't actually make an effort to print our important photos and put them into albums...how often do we even look at them?

CTMH's new Picture My Life program is a complete package...44 - 4x6 cards (2 each of 22 designs), 78 - 3x4 cards (3 each of 26 designs), 1 - 12x12 cover page and 10 - 12x12 Memory Protectors (various designs).

The following images are Later Sk8r, Babycakes, and Avonlea...just three of the available kits.

I purchased the Skylark, Balloon Ride, and Surf's Up kit and used some of them last weekend...I love that each Picture My Life kit includes a cover page and various Memory Protectors...I have purchased additional styles in the Memory Protectors that I know I'll go through. After spending a year doing 'Project Life' I know what sleeves I use more often...

If you are someone wanting to get your photos into albums or want more information about our Close To My Heart 'Picture My Life' scrapbook program, please contact me! I can't help but get excited about these kits seeing as I know how well they work at getting your albums complete!!!

 

thanks for stopping in!

 

Posted with Blogsy

New Catalog and an iPad Blogging platform...

Well it's Saturday and it's also February 1st!!!! Wowzers, where did January go?

Today is the day the new Spring/Summer 2014 CTMH catalog goes live to everyone! I've received my first shipment of goodies and played with several items last weekend while I was away at The Ultimate Scrapbooking Retreat...it's called the Ultimate because its just that...Ultimate food, surroundings, company...

This is the view from the lake first thing Sunday morning...it was cold and slightly freezing but a beautiful layer of fog was sitting on the surface of the lake as the sun was coming up over the trees...

What an amazing reflection...the water is so often perfectly still like it was here...the peace of the water is exactly how it sounded last weekend...all I heard was the sound of my own breathing...so quiet...as if I was the only person for miles.

Anyways, the part I really wanted to show you was how little I actually packed!!! I think this is the first time ever that I've come to Loon Lake with such a small amount of supplies...perhaps it's the fact that I'm now driving a tiny VW Beetle...? Or maybe I've finally realized what I will realistically get accomplished in a weekend!

Now the milk crate contained my 2013 Project Life album that I was 5 months behind on...yeah, you heard me, 5 months behind on...and I got completely caught up! Granted I spent three days prior to the weekend, planning what photos I would print and what weeks they will reside in...but the weekend was spent picking cards and embellishing and journalling...a little stamping and a lot of fun seeing this project getting completed!

I am so thrilled to have the journalling done and my 2014 album well underway...the teal trolley (from Ikea, if you didn't already know) was full of PL 4x6 and 3x4 cards, photos and embellishments...I brought along some paper packs (in the top bin) just incase I wanted a change of scenery but I didn't.

Not a great photo at all but you get the idea...I completed at least 20 two page spreads! I am amazed with myself...can you tell?!!

I will showcase a couple different layouts in the coming days...I dug into some new CTMH products for this album and I want to show you how I used them!

In the meantime, perhaps you'd like to follow this link and check out our newest catalog of super yummy new products?!!!

Take special note of our new scrapbooking program called Picture My Life...which follows the same concept as Project Life and allows you to get your photos into albums to enjoy without the need for scissors or glue...just slide in your photos and slide in some fun cards for journalling your memories and jazzing up the space around your photos...it's as easy at that and so fast that you'll be amazed!

Interested in seeing the Picture My Life Scrapbooking program? Click here

Want a peek at the entire catalog? Click here

Thanks so much for stopping in today! Now fingers crossed that this new app on my iPad, Blogsy, will actually successfully post (cause the last app was terrible)

 

Posted with Blogsy

Let's Scrap a challenge!

Welcome! I was asked to be part of the Contributing Design Team over at Let's Scrap. Which I love, seeing as I've been really missing the gals over there and of course all the fantastic sketches and challenges! 

If you are feeling scrappy, head on over for some creative inspiration :)

So the challenge I'm participating in is from Susanna Granroth this week and this is what she's got to say about it:

This is the picture we need to look at and let it inspire us in some way...



This is a plate of cooked, nice and red crayfish… ready to be eaten with delicious schnapps and some singing (tradition). Every summer on 21st of July starts the period when catching these yummies is allowed. The same day several of the citys restaurants have these on the menu. Rich, and I really mean rich, people travel from the mainland as well as from Sweden for this one and only evening. The restaurant at the guest harbor has tables booked already for the next time. The people buy these for 8-10 euros/ pc and the table setting includes a bottle of vodka or another schnapps as well as wine bottles. The guests pay all opened bottles together with how many crayfish they eat. NOT a cheap evening at the restaurant, I can tell. (not that we've ever been as guests.. we buy them to a special price and eat them in good company at the cottage)
Anyway, this is your challenge:

You are free to use which ever LS sketch and what ever in this picture that inspires you. From the following list you are free to choose 3 items:

Bling, lace, ribbon/twine, flowers, cut outs, sewing, swirls,, something stamped, brads, journaling, five patterned papers, circles, stars or buttons.

So this is what I chose for my three items...five patterned papers (of course, cause I LOVE patterned paper!)...cuts outs and journalling!

This is a photo of my daughter showing off her Grandmother's Chicken Soup...with chicken FEET in it...oh yeah, I've never gotten used to it after 24 years but my husband grew up with it and loves it...we all love the soup, we just don't all love the feet!

Susanna's challenge photo got me thinking about this photo and the Portuguese Chicken Soup with all its contents...I pulled the red and blues from the photo into my patterned papers. I have to admit this challenge had me a tad stumped...but I like how it turned out in the end :)

This paper line is from Pink Paislee and it's called 'Snow Village' the cut-outs were from a huge package from the same collection...the left hand side of this Let's Scrap sketch was perfect for my photo and this challenge :)

Have fun and Let's Scrap !

Are you curious about what's comin'???

As an Independent Consultant for Close To My Heart I am very fortunate to get a look and a play with the new products coming one month before it's release to customers...

depending on how fast I put in my order depends on how much playing I get in :)

So the number one item that I was SUPER excited to get my hands on was our 

Picture My Life Scrapbooking Program...which consists of 44 - 4"x6" cards (2 each of 22 designs), 78 - 3"x4" cards (3 each of 26 designs), 1 - 12"x12" designed cover sheet and 10 - 12"x12" memory protectors!!! 

This one is called Skylark and it's one of my favourites...love the 

colours and the birds and dragonflies.

I got two more collections as well and I will hopefully have something to show off in the coming week. I'm heading away tomorrow for a scrapbooking weekend so that will help with the creative juices and any luck and I'll get more of my 2013 Project Life album that much closer to complete!

Check out some more of the Skylark CTMH artwork here:

Check out the cover of our new 2014 Spring/Summer catalog...

I can't wait to play with the feathers stamp set you see above and that woodgrain...LOVE IT...thanks for stoppin' in today and I hope you have some scrap-tastic plans yourself!

This is by far my favourite time of the year...how about you?

January means more than the beginning of a New Year...although last year sucked so I'm totally looking forward to happier times in 2014, it also means re-organization, de-cluttering and perhaps for some of us, resolutions! Yeah, I'm sure I'm not alone with resolution incompletion...you? 

This year I will strive to be more organized, more health conscience and more active...but my 'word' for the year is going to be FOCUS...not sure if you are on the 'word-train' like so many other people seem to be these days but my goal of 2014 is to try to gain and maintain more FOCUS in my life...we can assume I feel the need to improve on this in all aspects of my life, personal, work and creative. So here I go!!! 

Wish me luck and good luck to you as well...we can all use it :)

So where have I been, what have I been doing...? 

Well not scrapbooking a lot I'll tell you that!

I am trying to focus right now on catching up on my 2013 Project Life album and at the same time trying to stay more current on the 2014 Project Life Album...so that means working on my computer, calendar and sending off photos to print...I don't print from home which maybe I should be considering once again but for now I send them to Costco, not expensive and fast.

Not that you can tell from this photo, but do you ever have those moments when you are super organized, have your scrappy stuff all sorted by colour or item etc.? Well this CTMH box, which is AWESOME to sort your PL card and photos by the way, happened to run into my leg!!! Ok,so maybe I ran into it...end result is that! I was so frustrated that I left it like that for two days...yeah I'm stubborn...luckily last night when I finally decided to pick it up it wasn't to mixed up, I was able to put the coloured cards together again without too much stress and effort :) 

So this morning I needed to make a list! Don't you love lists? I do, it really helps my focus and gives me a great feeling of accomplishment when I can cross items off! 

Today I worked on the laundry, vacuumed (one floor anyways), general tidy and dusting the Great Room and finally got the knick knacks moved around so it looks nice...tomorrow I'll add to that list and probably cross more items off...it's all good! 

So nice to be getting my poop in a group!

Thanks for stopping in!